Injuries, Matches Missed and the Influence of Minimum Medical Standards in the A-League Professional Football: A 5-Year Prospective Study.

Background: Epidemiological data on the occurrence of time-loss injuries over several A-League seasons remains lacking, while the effect of the mandatory implementation of 'Minimum Medical Standards' as a part of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) needs to be explored.

Objectives: To explore the 5 year evolution of hamstring, groin, knee, ankle and total time-loss injuries among professional footballers in the A-League; to evaluate the consequences of these time-loss injuries in terms of total matches missed and costs incurred; and to explore whether the mandatory implementation of 'Minimum Medical Standards' in the A-League had led to a decrease in the occurrence of total time-loss injuries and total matches missed.

Patients And Methods: An observational prospective study has been carried out since 2008.